Hand brake lever controlled door locking device



June 14, 1949. c. L. MILLER 2,

HAND BRAKE LEVER CONTROLLED DOOR LOCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 22, 1947 x I INVENTOR. C'Zaries L, iller ATTORNEYS Patented June 14, 1949 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND BRAKE LEVER CONTROLLED noon LOCKING nuvron Charles L. Miller, Altoona, Pa. Application January 22, 1947, Serial No. 723,485 1 Claim. (Cl. im- 82) This invention relates tosafety locks for automobile doors and the primary objects of the invention is to provide a lock of this character that is adapted to be operated by the hand brake of an automobile, locking the doors when the hand brake is released, and permitting the doors to be opened when the hand brake has been applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock of this character that is simple in construction and operation, efficient and durable in use and inexpensive to manufacture for the purpose designed. 1

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an automobile, partly broken away, in order to show the manner of mounting an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the lock constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an elevational view partly in section of the valve controlling the lock shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the valve housing shown in Figure 4 and Figure 6 is an elevational view of the valve shown in Figure 4.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral [0 generally designates the vacuum lock which comprises the tubular housing I I, which is provided with longitudinally extending plate [2 which is apertured at l3 whereby the housing H is mounted within the door 14 of the automobile l5.

One end of the housing I l' has a tapered conical shaped end l6 provided with a threaded portion 57 and the portion I! and end It have a continuous bore I8 communicating with the housing H. The opposite end of the housing II is threaded at ill to receive the tapered conical nut 20. A plunger rod 2| is mounted in the bore l8 at its outer end and its opposite end is provided with a stem 22 which is mounted in the nut 20. The rod 2| is threaded at 23 providing a shoulder 24 forming an abutment for the washer 25 which engages the cup-shaped gasket 26 and a washer 21 engages the opposite side of the gasket and when the nut 28 is threaded on the portion 23, the elements previously described comprise the plunger which is actuated by means of suction.

2 Such suction is obtained by connecting the outlet pipe 23 on the housing H to the outlet pipe 29 onthe valve housing M by means of the flexible pipe 32, and the inlet pipe 33 of the housing 3'lto the intake manifold 34 of the automobile l5 by a flexible pipe 3-5.

The housing 3 I comprises the solid body 36 provided with the longitudinal bore 31 for mounting the valve 38 therein. The valve 38 is in the form of a rod and is provided with a transverse port 39 which will provide communication between the outlet pipe 29 and inlet pipe 33 of the housing 3!. The upper end of the body 36 is provided with a guide slot 40 which engages the flattened end 4| of the valve 38 whereby rotation of the valve is prevented, to provide true alinement of the port 39 with the outlet and inlet pipes. A wing 42 on the body 36 is apertured at 43 to receive fastening means whereby the housing is mounted on the automobile adjacent the hand brake lever 44 of the automobile. The valve end 4| is apertured at 45 to receive one end of a coil spring 46, the other end of which is connected by the rod 41 to the hand brake 44, so that when the hand brake is set, the valve will be moved to close communication between the outlet and inlet pipe. The spring 46 cushions the pull of the hand brake on the valve, to prevent strain on the valve. When the hand brake is released, a spring 48 mounted on the valve externally of the housing 3| and retained on the valve by the pin 49 forces the valve to move so that the port 39 is moved into communication with the outlet and inlet pipes.

When the hand brake is released, suction from the manifold 34 causes the plunger assembly to move the rod 2| into engagement with a recess 50 in the door frame 5|, of the automobile, and when the hand brake 44 is set, a coil spring am on the rod 2| engaging the washer 23 and end [6 of the housing I I will force the plunger out of the recess 50.

The threaded end It of the housing II is provided with the packing nut 52, and packing 53, to prevent leakage around the rod 2|, and a tube 54, provided with an end opening 54', communicates with the housing H permitting oil to be injected into the housing for the lubricating of the gasket 26. The tube 54 also permits any air that accumulates in the housing H that would prevent full return of the plunger assembly to escape from the housing. The tube 54 may terminate in any convenient position to present its opening 54' to the atmosphere. A convenient location can be, as shown in Fig. 1, at the edge of the door M of the automobile. Thus, access to can be had when the door I4 is opened. Due to the normal clearances found between the door frame 5| and the edge of the door 14 when the latter is closed, air may enter, or be expelled from, the opening 54', the air passing through the clearances between door and frame.

When the hand brake is set, the valve is operated to release the plunger, and permit the doors to be opened, but when the hand brake is released, the valve is operated to force the plunger into engagement with the recess 50 in the door frame 5|.

It is believed that the operation and safety features of the invention will be apparent to those opening 54 skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a lock adapted to be attached to an automobile having a door within a door frame and wheel brakes, the combination of a tubular housing adapted to be secured to the door, a rod reciprocally mounted in said tubular housing and adapted to engage a recess in the door frame to lock the door, a piston means on said rod and mounted for sliding movement in said housing,

a spring means about said rod bearing against said housing and piston means for biasing said rod into said housing and out of the door frame recess, conduit means attached to one end of said housing and adapted to be connected to a suction means, a valve body in said conduit means, a valve in said body for controlling communication between said housing and the suction means through said conduit means, a hand brake lever for actuating the wheel brakes, means connecting said hand brake lever with said valve body whereby actuation of said hand brake lever to set the brakes will move said valve to cause the suction means to withdraw said rod from the door frame recess to free the door for opening movement, and a tube connecting the other end of the housing to the atmosphere, said tube also being adapted to receive lubricant for lubricating the piston means.

CHARLES L. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date '772,842 Spencer et a1 Oct. 18, 1904 2,031,344 Thomasma Feb. 18, 1936 2,198,862 Chesler Apr. 30, 1940 2,254,419 Castle Sept. 2, 1941 

